Sunshades are commonly used with electro-optical sensors of missiles or other vehicles, such as warheads, to mask out potentially damaging light on the focal plane array while imaging near the field of view of the sun. Bright objects, such as the earth, can also “blind” the sensors when in the field of view. Current sunshades typically have fixed lengths. Thus, to avoid blinding the sensors, the sensors may be powered down when the sun or other bright object is near the field of regard. On the other hand, the lack of protection may simply be accepted with the hope that no harm will result, such as permanent damage to high sensitivity imaging sensors.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.